Dengue

Dengue

Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease caused by four types of dengue viruses, is a threat for almost half of the world’s population. Dengue is a pressing public health priority in many countries in Asia and Latin America where epidemics occur.

Symptoms of Dengue

Dengue clinical symptoms include high fever, severe headache, with or without rash, and possible bleeding complications.

Dengue fever can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever which can lead to dengue shock syndrome and, in rare cases, death.

Epidemiology

3.9 billion people are at risk in over 128 countries. Each year, 390 million people are infected, of which 96 million people show clinical symptoms.(1)

People can get ill up to 4 times in a lifetime with dengue. Severe dengue is a rare event (0.5% of reported cases) and can occur at any infection with one of the four virus subtypes; however, the second infection with dengue is more often associated with worse illness compared to the other infections with the virus.

An estimated 500,000 people with severe dengue require hospitalization each year, and about 2.5% of those affected die from dengue.(1)

Vaccination against Dengue

Implementation of public dengue vaccination programs should be consistent with current approved labelling for the first available dengue vaccine in each country where it is approved, as well as by updated WHO position for the vaccine as part of integrated dengue prevention efforts that include vector control, disease management and surveillance.